Team Anna out to malign my reputation: Krishna

Hitting out at Team Anna, which accused him of wrongdoing during his tenure as Karnataka chief minister, external affairs minister SM Krishna said on Thursday these were “motivated” and aimed at maligning his unblemished public career over five decades.

Krishna said while he was open for a probe, it is “highly improper” for anyone to ask for another investigation when the Karnataka Lokayukta and the HC have found no truth in the charges against him. Team Anna had accused him of dereserving forest land and not permitting Mysore Minerals Ltd from marketing high grade iron ore fines to benefit private players.

Krishna said he would provide Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with all details about the “motivated allegations” made against him. “If anybody makes personal allegations against me, then I deserve the right to react in a manner I think is proper,” the minister told reporters on being asked whether he planned to sue Team Anna.

“I have no reservations for any kind of inquiry or investigation. However, since Justice Santosh Hegde, as the Lokayukta of Karnataka, had conducted a detailed investigation and had exonerated me of any wrongdoing, it is highly improper for anyone to ask for another investigation again which is aimed only at disreputing me and to malign my 50 years of unblemished public life,” he said.

Referring to allegations that he deprived state-owned Mysore Minerals Ltd opportunities to market high grade iron ore fines, Krishna said the affairs of the company are managed by its board of directors and he had no role to play in its decisions. He said Karnataka Lokayukta found nothing against him and even the Karnataka high court had quashed all charges against him relating to the affairs of the company.